Loading funnels for delivering a gob of molten glass from a gob delivery system into a blank mold of an individual section glass container forming machine are generally known in the art. One type of conventional loading funnel includes a flared entrance section for receiving the gob from the gob delivery system and a tubular shaping section situated downstream from the flared entrance section for shaping the gob and guiding it into the opening of the blank mold. The tubular shaping section is generally smaller in cross-sectional area than the gob that passes through it. A U.S. patent that describes such a loading funnel is U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,106. Another conventional type of loading funnel is described U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,860. Conventional loading funnels require swabbing with a glass release coating.
A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, may include providing a split loading funnel that can deliver gobs of molten glass from a gob delivery system into an aligned blank mold by way of a guide passage. The split loading funnel is formed from two or more funnel segments that may provide for variability in the size and shape of the guide passage. This variability may make accurate and gentle delivery of molten glass gobs to the blank mold less complex across a wide range of process variances and may reduce or eliminate the need for swabbing. The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from, or in combination with, each other.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for delivering a gob of molten glass into a blank mold. The apparatus includes a loading funnel holder that defines at least one opening, and a split loading funnel rotatably carried by the funnel holder. The split loading funnel includes two or more individual funnel segments that together provide an outlet of the funnel having an exit plane, each of the individual funnel segments having a lower portion that includes a concave interior guide surface. The two or more individual funnel segments are coupled together so that the interior guide surfaces of the individual funnel segments cooperate to define a guide passage extending along a longitudinal axis and terminating at the outlet.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a process of delivering a gob of molten glass from a gob delivery system to a blank mold. The process involves providing an apparatus that includes a split, rotatable, loading funnel carried by a funnel holder. The funnel has two or more individual funnel segments. Those segments are arranged relative to one another to cooperatively define a guide passage that has a longitudinal axis. The process also includes locating the funnel above a mold cavity of a blank mold so that the guide passage of the funnel is vertically aligned with the mold cavity. Furthermore, the process includes delivering a gob of molten glass from a deflector to the mold cavity through the guide passage of the funnel. The funnel is moved away from the mold cavity once the gob has been introduced into the mold cavity for transformation into a glass parison as part of a glass container forming operation.